I'm hassan and will have a marble bengal boy in less than 2 months. Super excited. I have never owned a cat or a pet before, so I'm little worried if I will be able to take care of my little boy.I have read a lot about bengals and its behavior, I think at this point I have at least a little knowledge of bengals in general.

My family consists of 9 members and our home is considered as a center of family reunions so guests & kidswill be there around the week. I have thought that at first couple of weeks, I will just introduce the kittento just myself and slowly introduce the boy to family members later on. With this work? are Bengals okey around kids?

Congratulations on being a soon-to-be bengal owner. You are at the start of a wonderful ride.

Hasoon - I'd be planning to give the kitten a room of its own for the first 2 weeks and very slowly integrating it into such a big family, I know everyone will probably want to dive right in an play with the kitten, but it needs to adjust to loosing its mum, all its friends and indeed everything that it has ever known. It will need time to get used to the sights, scents and sounds of your home and feel safe.

During the 2 week period, go with how the kitten behaves - if it is scared take things easy, sit in the same room as it, not paying it any attention* and read out loud to it. If you are lucky and it is wanting to stride out of the door and claim its new territory start introducing it to the house room by room.

* this is all about *showing* your cat that you are no threat and being the very opposite of a predator. So, sit facing away from the cat, don't make eye contact and read anything you like in a soft voice for maybe 30 mins at a time - in a house of 9 people, take it as a nice chance to sit and read the paper/something that you are interested in but never get the time for.

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re Bengals okey around kids?

You've probably got the cart before the horse here, the question should be - Is this kid OK with a bengal?

Each child is different and you'll need to ensure that they each play gently and respectfully with this kitten as with any other animal. The only variable from the cat's side is how outgoing it will be - it might want to be the belle of the ball and be in the middle of everything or it might want to seek somewhere quiet when the whole family comes to visit. The kids will need to respect its decision.

Welcome to the world of bengals. Bengals are not usually recommended for first time cat owners, but that's not to say you can't have a great relationship and take care of a bengal. They just are not your typical cat.

Cranberry has given you some wonderful advice. Just as with a newborn infant, you don't want to overwhelm your kitty with people immediately! The little one will be stressed out in coming to a new environment with new people and new smells, so take things easy. A safe room is best for the kitty. Please bengal-proof your home as well. Bengals are curious and can get into everything, so make it as safe as possible.

Bengals and kids generally get along. Depends on how young the children are. Smaller toddlers usually don't know how to be gentle and pet the kitty. And many don't understand a cat's cry to be left alone and will continue to pester them. However, since your family is so large, children should always be supervised when they are around the cat.

Know that some cats -- not just bengals -- but some moggie kitties, as well -- do not like a lot of loud activity. Some thrive around it. Your kitty will let you know.

Thanks Cranberry for a detailed input & welcome, I will definitely follow your advice & will try to make the process stress less as much as I can. I’m already preparing the kids mentally for the kitten’s arrival, throwing some advices now and then about dealing with pets in general. I believe the kids will be okay with the kitten

Hello sherry, thanks for your reply and welcome. To be honest, I have learned a lot from your posts around the forum

I know they are not a typical, lap or cudlish type of cat which is the main reason of me having an interest in them beside crazy energetic & active breed.I’m still in learning process, still reading and learning new things every day and hopefully by the time of kittens arrival,I will be done with things that you have mentioned: I will ensure that kids will be gentle around the kitten, and will absolutely supervise when they are around the cat.

My $0.02 is that, bengals are challenging cats to own even for an experienced cat owner. They are bigger, stronger, more stubborn, more demanding, and because of their relentlessness and athleticism, there is just more opportunity for stuff to go wrong.

My biggest concerns about your situation are:

1. If you are going to have a constant stream of people (and especially kids) coming in and out of your door, how are you going to insure that your cat doesn't dash outside and take off, never to be seen again?

2. From like 3mo-12 mo or so, bengal kittens are notorious for tearing their owners/visitors up (with claws, and to a lesser extent teeth). It's going to happen. You need to be aware of this and plan accordingly. But you'd probably feel badly if someone's kid came to play with your bengal kitten and went home with some scratches on arms/legs.

3. One of the most important things to teach your bengal kitten, is how to play "properly" with humans. Namely, that it is a much funner/longer game for them when you play with a toy, rather than hands/arms/feet/fingers. Any kids that play with a bengal kitten needs this lesson drilled into them. As a bengal gets older, it would actually be really dangerous to have such a cat that enjoys chasing fingers for example.

4. Not just for bengals, but cats in general, I think the most natural reaction when confronted with a lot of unfamiliar people, and noise and commotion, and kids running at them with "grabby hands" and shrieks and such is to hide. Not only that but many cats get really freaked out by such things to the point where it could cause behavior problems. You'll just have to see what your particular cat is like, but set your expectations accordingly. It wouldn't be shocking at all if you end up having to setup an "off limits room" to guests while your cat chills waiting for the commotion to end and regular life to resume.

5. In your situation it's probably more important than ever that you setup high perches for your cat, so that he cat feel like part of the family while being able to chill and get the birds-eye view of things.

Brian, you always think the situations through completely and offer excellent advice. All bengals are different and this one may actually LOVE people! Mine does not! LOL

Yes, the big thing is to make sure the cat does not escape through an open door. They are fast and can whip through your legs in a mili-second! Raiden has done this several times and I've had to retrieve him. Having a collar on a cat and microchipping are the main things. Raiden doesn't wear a collar, but the entire neighborhood knows him from our daily walks.

Thanks Brian for these excellent advices and thoughtful concerns, I will try to answer accordingly 1. Fortunately our home entrance is double layered door, which means there is a door a passageand other door which will usually make chances of the kitten slipping away or taking off very minimal but not impossible.I will try to be extra careful and will make sure that both doors are close.

2. Youngest kid is my nephew, he is 3 years old. He is very gentle kid, and hopefully will be gentle with the kitten too.Last part worries me the most I will feel extremely bad if kids/visitors end up with scratches, but will see that when the time comes.

3. Excellent advice will make sure to use toys rather than body parts.

4. I won’t allow the kids to that for their own safety, unless they exactly understand what they are doing. Kids are smart these days haha.

5. Yes, I’m currently thinking of preparing vertical spaces around the house for the same reason.

Sherry, kitten will be microchip, but is collar safe? I love the idea of taking the cat for daily walks, but we have a lot of stray cats around the neighborhood, so I’m afraid of cat being stressed as I have read that Bengals are very territorial.

I just got photos of the kitten from the breeder (10 weeks old), will try to upload them soon

Edit: added photos ( I might call him either Jessy or Nicolas, not decided yet)

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I recently hosted a barbecue for 15 and the cats were absolutely happy (I live on my own and work full time) . They're 8 months old and they know its their house so they feel very comfy. Once your kitten thinks of your house as of her/his own there shouldnt be any problem but before that just make sure they're comfortable in their house.

I recently hosted a barbecue for 15 and the cats were absolutely happy (I live on my own and work full time) . They're 8 months old and they know its their house so they feel very comfy. Once your kitten thinks of your house as of her/his own there shouldnt be any problem but before that just make sure they're comfortable in their house.

Look at those huge rosettes on your baby! Gosh ..... beautiful!!! Congratulations! Happy to hear you have a double door with a vestibule, which will really help! Collars basically let someone know the kitty has a home if it escapes through the door. There are owners who keep a collar on their cat indoors! Supposedly orange is the color to get as it signifies the cat is an indoor cat and has escaped to the outdoors.

Walking a cat is a personal decision. Raiden and I see other cats on our walks and he is not a happy camper and howls and growls up a storm! These cats do not appear aggressive and will usually run the other day. If your kitty is perfectly happy indoors, that's the place for the baby to be! Vertical spaces are a MUST. If you can get a couple of sturdy, tall cat trees, that would be wonderful and a big help in allowing your kitty to escape from the children.

To reinforce points 3 and 4 from Brian - to select some of his good advice..

3. teach the kids especially, but also the adults, that hands aren't toys - a kitten biting/scratching a hand will hurt, a fully grown bengal having grown up not knowing that your hand shouldn't be disembowled with its hind legs won't be fun for anyone. Get loads of toys for the cat - finding out which ones trigger play can be a bit hit and miss, but with hard floors bouncy balls or cat springs ( check on Amazon ) work well for chasing games. Kicker toys are great for giving your kitten something that they can be encouraged to disembowel. Da Bird also comes highly recommended by most bengals and their owners staff.

4. Safe places - get some cat trees that are taller than your kids - this'll give the chap a place to run to when *he* doesn't want to play -he will be able to climb up them and look down in safety at what is going on in the room and then be tempted down to play. Teach people that if he goes up there then he shouldn't be moved, only enticed down to play with toys/treats.

Sherry, thanks & yes I'am excited too to meet this boy , I did know that collars are meant that pet has owners, but oncolor parts that something new and useful information I might need. I guess I will wait and see how the kitten reacts to the out-world and will decide upon that. As you said, I have noticed too that stray cats are not aggressive so it wont be a problem I guess! Vertical spaces will be top priority to complete before his arrival, or at leastI will prepare one or two places that he can sit safely and observe our daily activities.

Cranberry, I heard that bird toy is a must for any Bengal, as they normally like it. I will check Amazon for cat springs, thanks for your awesome suggestions & advice.

Mika loves the stick with the toy on the end of a string too but her favourite toy, by far, is a hair elastic ... I have spent a small fortune on fancy cat toys and the one thing she always chooses to play with is a plain old two cent hair elastic.

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